Glides, castors and adjustable feet are often not given much thought, however, the best solution for you will depend on the function of the furniture or item you plan to use them for. In this blog, we’ll look at the differences between glides, castors and adjustable feet and then the type of furniture each furniture fitting would be best suited to.

What is a furniture glide?

A furniture glide is a fixed foot that attaches to the base of a chair or desk leg. Unlike a castor, a glide doesn’t move, but it is smooth, enabling a user to ‘glide’ furniture across the floor, without damaging the floor with any rough or uneven surfaces.

What is an adjustable foot?

An adjustable foot attaches to the base of a chair desk or table leg, usually with an insert that sits within the metal frame of the leg. Each foot can then be height-adjusted by screwing the foot into the insert or unscrewing it from the insert to add height. This enables tables or chairs to be adjusted to the correct height for the user or could be used to remove the wobble where the furniture sits upon uneven flooring or on a slope, levelling out the seating or table area. Adjustable feet are also often seen on kitchen and household appliances and white goods.

What are castors?  

Castors are wheels that are usually attached to table, chair or furniture legs using inserts which sit inside the leg frame. Inserts come in rectangular, circular or square shapes to fit different types of furniture legs. There are different types of castors depending on the size and load of the furniture they are used on. Using castors means furniture can be rolled from one place to another, so it is much easier to move furniture around.

Should I use a glide, a castor or an adjustable foot?

1. How far do you need to move your furniture?
   • Not at all – feet or adjustable feet may do the job perfectly.
   • No more than a couple of feet at a time – glides will probably be fine, unless the furniture is particularly heavy, in which case consider castors
   • Possibly several metres or between rooms – castors

2. How flat is the floor that the furniture will be resting on?
   • Not at all – adjustable feet are the best bet
   • Fairly – you can choose between glides or castors, but glides may be better
   • Perfectly flat – castors will work well on this kind of floor

3. Is there likely to be a cause for a person to sit or stand on the furniture?
   • Yes – go for glides as castors may slip away when someone sits down if not locked, causing a health and safety hazard – of course, some office chairs come with castors, but for other types of chairs or desks, static feet are better. If you really need to go for castors, ensure the castors can be locked to avoid them moving
   • No – castors would work well but check out the other questions before you make your decision

4. Is it important, for the performance of the furniture, that the unit is level?
   • Yes – if you don’t need to move the furniture, go for adjustable feet for greater flexibility
   • No – see Q 3 above

5. Is it important for aesthetics that the unit is level?
   • Yes – if you don’t need to move the furniture, go for adjustable feet for greater flexibility
   • No – see Q 3 above

6. Is it important for safety that the unit is level?
   • Yes – if you don’t need to move the furniture, go for adjustable feet for greater flexibility
   • No – see Q 3 above

7. How heavy is the item of furniture?
   • Very – go for castors if the floor is flat enough
   • Moderately – gliders, castors or feet can all work equally well, but if you do need to move it, steer away from the adjustable feet
   • Not at all – gliders may be your best option

8. Are different people likely to use this item of furniture?
   • If yes, are they likely to need the piece of furniture at different heights?
     • Yes – adjustable feet are the way forward
     • No – castors, feet or glides, the choice is very much yours
   • If no, is one person likely to need to adjust the height?
     • Yes – adjustable feet are the way forward
     • No – castors, feet or glides, the choice is very much yours.

For more information about the types of furniture fittings we stock at BPF Online or for more about our adjustable feet or castors, visit our blog ‘Threaded feet or castors’ or for any specific questions, chat with our friendly advisors.